Diabetes is a difficult condition to live with. It not only affects humans but many dogs and cats. Unfortunately, it often goes undiagnosed in pets, leaving pets suffering.
If you are a pet owner, you should pay close attention to the health of your furry friend to notice signs of discomfort.
If you suspect that they have diabetes, you should seek treatment as soon as possible to help improve their quality of life. Here are some of the signs that your pet may be suffering from diabetes.
Excessive Water Consumption and Urination
If you notice that your dog or cat is drinking more water than they normally do, it could be an early symptom of diabetes. This is usually accompanied by an increase in urination as well. This is because a diabetic animal’s kidneys can’t keep up with the excess sugar in their blood, and it will be excreted through the urine.
Increased Hunger
If your cat or dog is diabetic, it may exhibit signs of excess hunger. Dogs often act hungry even when they are not, but if your dog is eating more food than he/she normally does and is maintaining or losing weight, this may be a sign of diabetes.
Rapid Weight Loss
Even if your pet is eating more, they may begin to lose weight rapidly. This is because diabetes increases the metabolism, meaning that your animal will be burning more calories than he or she is consuming on a daily basis.
Lethargy or Fatigue
A diabetic animal will often be more tired than usual and show an unwillingness to participate in some of its regular activities. Diabetes can cause weakness in certain muscles in an animal, and since they may suffer from malnutrition, they will spend more time sleeping and less time being active.
Sweet-smelling Breath
Unusually sweet-smelling breath is another sign that your animal might be diabetic. Because your animal will be burning fat instead of sugar, their body will begin to produce ketones, specifically acetone, which can cause sweet, fruity breath.
Cloudy Eyes
Diabetes can lead to cataracts which will cause your pet’s eyes to take on a cloudy appearance. These can lead to blindness if they aren’t treated, so make sure to check your pet’s eyes regularly.
Thinning Hair or Skin Infections
This will happen mostly along the back but can take place anywhere on your pet’s body. Thinning fur can be indicative of several different illnesses, but it is very common among diabetic animals.
Depression
Because of the imbalance of ketones in your pet’s body, they may suffer from depression if they are diabetic. If your dog or cat is lethargic and unresponsive to your communication or shows a lack of desire to participate in anything, they may have depression set on by diabetes.
Vomiting
Ketoacidosis can lead to vomiting, especially if your pet is in the later stages of diabetes. This is more likely to happen in older animals, but it is important to speak with your vet in any case of vomiting.
If you notice that your dog or cat is experiencing any of the following symptoms, contact Black River Veterinary Hospital to make an appointment today!